tribal

1 of 2

adjective

trib·​al ˈtrī-bəl 

1

: of, relating to, or characteristic of a tribe: as

a

: of, relating to, or characteristic of a community of people having shared ancestry, culture, and language

tribal members/leaders

a tribal council

protecting tribal lands

… the strained relations between Maine state government and tribal nations …

—Kevin Miller

These are sacred tribal markings, and are assigned through chiefly lineage and placement in a tribe, village or community.

—Lagipoiva Cherelle Jackson

b

: of, relating to, or characteristic of a group of people having a common character, occupation, or interest

"Is this your first Comic-Con?," I was repeatedly asked upon arriving in San Diego for this year's tribal gathering.

—James Wolcott

2

: characterized by tribalism : having or showing strong in-group loyalty and often a negative view of outsiders

We are inherently tribal creatures anyway; but particularly when we're scared, we regress further into tribalism and tend to trust the information relayed to us by our tribe and not by others.

—Arash Javanbakht

tribally

ˈtrī-bə-lē 

adverb

tribal

2 of 2

noun

: a member of an aboriginal people of India

—usually used in plural

Synonyms of tribal

Adjective

• ethnic
• racial
• ethnical

Examples of tribal in a Sentence

Adjective

a tribal solidarity that transcends all other loyalties or bonds

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

That playfulness has manifested in audiences seeing a different side of Probst — from him rapping a tribe swap reveal to doing impressions of three players (including Christian Hubicki, who was sitting just feet away) at a tribal council. —Stephanie Petit, PEOPLE, 20 Apr. 2026

For some drivers, the savings at tribal stations can add up quickly. —Kelly McGreal, FOXNews.com, 17 Apr. 2026

Noun

The live tribal happens, and everyone has told everyone lies as to how the vote was going to go down. —Emily Longeretta, Variety, 23 Apr. 2026

All of which, in Hall’s view, just deepens Indian wounds regarding identity and tribal belonging. —David Treuer, The Atlantic, 13 Jan. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

1632, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

1949, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing tribal

• inter-tribal

Rhymes for tribal

• bible
• cybele
• libel
• scribal
• intertribal

Kids Definition

tribal

adjective

trib·​al

ˈtrī-bəl

: of, relating to, or characteristic of a tribe

tribally

-bə-lē

adverb